The Final Days of Thundera
by Tygra's Kitten Hina
Summary: Prequel to Last Life and the Original Series. One Thunderian Warrior tries to protect his beloved Thundera, his family, and people through every means possible. Relive what would be the final years and days of the planet of Thundera and learn about the ch
1. Ratilla

_Disclaimer: I don't own _**Thundercats****_. _**_If I did, I'd be rolling deep in the dough. All I own is this interpretation of how Thundera ended and anything that isn't originally part of _**Thundercats**_ to begin with. _**Thundercats **_belongs to _**Ted Wolf, Rankin/Bass,** _and _**Warner Brothers Studio.**

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The Final Days of Thundera

**Chapter One:**

_Ratilla_

A deafening silence enveloped him, accompanied by the darkness of the night. The nose on his long snout twitched, along with his wiry whiskers. His circular ears moved forward along the curvature of his head as he kept his eyes closed to better survey the surroundings. His senses were telling him that the Thunderian Guards were nowhere in sight. His eyes opened after a few minutes, revealing beady red eyes that could make anyone shiver with fright. His lips curled back, revealing row upon row of jagged and crooked teeth. Ratilla gripped the middle of his weapon, which was comprised of two curved blades with jagged edges. Both ends of the sword of Plun-Darr would glow a bright fiery yellow if trouble was nearby or if he tapped into its evil powers.

Being the rat that he is at heart, Ratilla quickly scurried across length of the stone hallway, sticking to the shadows. Despite his weight, Ratilla was quite good at sneaking around without making a single sound. His large tail twitched as he made it into the inner heart of the Palace. The guards were really slacking this time around.

There before him was a door engraved with the symbol of the Thundercats. Seeing this symbol would often send the Mutants of Plun-Darr running away in terror with their tails between their legs, but Ratilla was not just some Mutant. He was a Mutant Warlord – no! _The Mutant Warlord! _– He practically ruled over the planet of Plun-Darr.

He let out another toothy smirk. Switching the Sword of Plun-Darr to his other hand, the Rat Mutant reached up and pushed a button on the control panel beside the door. At first, the door would not open, but after a few minutes of using his cunning to crack the code, the steel doors opened with a swishing sound, granting him entry. Ratilla felt quite satisfied with himself. Now all that is standing between him and the Treasure of Thundera was this now open door. His heart jumped with excitement and the rat quiet slipped inside to the treasure chamber.

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His eyes flew open at hearing the warning growl of the Sword of Omens. Shifting out of his bed, Jaga quickly threw the covers off, but not before making sure his beloved wife and daughter remained in the safety and warmth of the blanket. Hearing some movement from behind him, Lord Jaga looked down at the two other occupants in his bed, and the Jaguar saw a woman – a human – holding a Thunderian cub – no older than three years old – against her own body. Both of them had light blonde hair and the same elegant form. Seeing his wife and daughter fast asleep made his heart swell with pride.

Little Lina had came into their room, scared of some monster that her little imagination created and Lenna, giving into her love for their daughter, allowed the little girl to sleep with them. Jaga knew that it was all just a ruse – that Lenna wanted an excuse to keep their beloved Lina nearby. Ever since they have learned that she was pregnant last month, Lenna poured all of her attention and love onto Lina, refusing to let the girl out of her sight – unless Tygra was with her. She claimed it was to make sure that Catlina would not feel less loved or was not lacking attention from either her or Jaga.

Jaga leaned over and kissed his wife on the lips gently before brushing his lips over his daughter's forehead. Lenna did not stir while Lina snuggled more into her mother's body, her tiny hands gripping the front of his wife's nightdress. Jaga offered them one last smile before rising off the double bed. He walked across the threshold, making his way through the darkness to the rack on the wall where his cape and helmet hung on their hooks, waiting to grace his shoulders and head once more – to accompany him into battle should one ever occur. He grabbed his cape hanging on the wall, slipped it on, and grabbed his helmet before placing it onto his head and walked out of the room with his cape swishing behind him.

He quickly ran to the sword chamber to retrieve the Sword of Omens. Once the powerful Sword of Omens was in his hands, the Eye of Thundera – the red stone set into the sword's hilt – winked, waking up at sensing Jaga's fingertips brushing against metal bottom, the clawed fingers wrapping around the sword's base as he lifted it off its resting place on the pedestal. Another soft growl rumbled from within the stone as the cross bars curled upwards, beginning to glow a faint red.

"Eye of Thundera, Sword of Omens, give me Sight Beyond Sight." Jaga ordered in his gentle but deep voice, holding the Sword at level with his eyes light brown eyes. "Show me what trouble lurks on this night."

Another growl later and an image burned in the cat man's mind, showing him the image of a Rat Mutant dressed in what looks like red, black, and yellow battle armor. He knew from the long gnarled snout, the toothy snarl, and the long bare tail that it was Ratilla, the War Lord of the Planet Plun-Darr. His heart leapt at the sight of the said rat lurking around in the Treasure Room. _No! The treasure of Thundera!_ He saw Ratilla coming upon a small red box lined with a golden yellow color around the edges. The symbol of the Thundercats served as a lock in the middle of the treasure box. His heart leapt with fright. If anyone were to unlock the chest, then the secrets of Thundera would be revealed. All hell could break loose.

The sword shrank back to its original size and he sheathed it before running out of the Sword Chamber. He has to stop Ratilla before it is too late.

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Ratilla felt his heart beating furiously in his chest. It was pumping his pudgy body full of excitement; the adrenaline was giving him some kind of high as he stood there in the middle of the treasure chamber. All this treasure – all the Thunderian gold, jewels, and heirlooms – lay all around him. Sparkling, shining, and glimmering under the pale light of the moon that peaked through the slats of the nearby windows.

_Beautiful! Gorgeous!_ It was a well-known facts that Rats – like Cats and Crows – were attracted to shiny objects. If something glitters or sparkles, the rats will take it for themselves, becoming mesmerized –hypnotized - with the beauty in the process. But he wasn't here to steal the treasures. His sole mission right now was to steal the Treasure of Thundera. Planet Plun-Darr needs to find the secret of the Thundercats so that they can be rid of all the Cats for the last time.

Ratilla's long pink tongue licked his lips as he rubbed the palms of his clawed hands together, a greedy glint gracing the red depths of his beady eyes. He slowly made his way over to the Treasure Chest containing the Treasures of Thundera when the double sword tied to his hip flared to life with the fire flames licking the soul of the sword.

"Trouble?" Ratilla hissed in disapproval. His ears twitched as he heard footsteps in the outside corridor. He pulled the Sword of Plun-Darr out of its covering and turned around in time to see a Jaguar Cat Warrior entering the Treasure Chamber with a sword in hand. He sneered, flashing his pointed white teeth at the newcomer. "Why if it is not Jaga the Wise." He cackled.

"Come to stop me from stealing the Treasure of Thundera have you?" Ratilla's sarcastic tone made Jaga fill sick on the inside. The Lord pointed the blade of the Sword of Omens at the conniving Mutant, his dark brown eyes glittering with great disdain.

"Ratilla! You shall not have the Treasure of Thundera." Jaga said lowly in a dangerous tone. His eyes narrowed. "I swear by the Code of Thundera!" Jaga's tone grew louder as he now held the Sword of Omens with both hands now. He heard the Eye of Thundera growl softly at him, beginning to glow a bright red while the blade of the Sword began to glow a faint electric blue.

Ratilla growled, the Sword of Plun-Darr glowing a brighter yellow now. He lifted the double bladed sword high into the air and started twirling it in the air, making the ghostly fire enveloping the blade seem to come to life. The fire soon became a large vortex of fire within seconds and it did not take long for the Mutant General to throw the spinning whirlpool of fire at the other warrior, surrounding him in a pillar of fire. "Take that, you miserable Cat!"

Jaga's heart leapt with fear at seeing the wall of fire surrounding him. Despite the fear gripping him, Lord Jaga gripped the Sword of Omens tightly in his hands, willing himself to overcome the panic rising to the surface. "Sword of Omens, don't fail me now!" He raised the Sword above his head and with a loud _Ho!_, a cold gust of snow appeared in its own whirling vortex, making the temperature drop rapidly around him. The magically summoned snowstorm encased everything – except Jaga – in a solid case of ice, the vast coolness smiting the dark flames of Ratilla's weapon.

Ratilla began to panic at this point and the General quickly made a mad dash for the red and yellow treasure chest sitting on a nearby pedestal, but he soon found himself encased in a frozen block of ice as Jaga swung the Sword of Omens with another loud yell, summoning yet another snowstorm within the room. His red eyes narrowed, glaring daggers at Jaga as his enemy picked up his precious Sword of Plun-Darr.

Jaga shivered at feeling the intense build up of evil coursing through the double bladed sword he now held within his hand. It felt sickening. He could feel the evil spirits trapped within the sword calling out to him, beckoning to him. He has to get rid of the accursed sword!_ Now! Before it is too late!_ The warrior felt his insides grow cold at hearing the cruel laughter of the frozen Ratilla.

"Why don't you just destroy me now and be done with it, _Cat_?" Ratilla's words made the nauseous feeling in the pit of Jaga's stomach grew tenfold, but he kept his composure and glared darkly at the Rat Warrior.

Jaga resheathed the Sword of Omens and gripped the middle section of the Sword of Plun-Darr all the more tightly with renewed determination. "The Code of Thundera forbids me from taking your life from you, Ratilla. Instead I will cast this evil sword into the deepest depths of Thundera so that you may never again use this foul thing to terrorize my people ever again!"

It was then that the Palace Guards came into the Treasure Chamber and took Ratilla away to stand trial for his crimes. Thus, leaving it up to Jaga to decide the fate of the evil sword he now held in his hands.

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Reference Notes

1. **Ratilla and the Sword of Plun-Darr - **This is referring to the episode, _Thundercubs: Part 1 _where Mumm-Ra learns how Thundera exploded.

2.** Lenna and Lina/Catlina** - I know that they aren't actual characters in the series but they're my characters I wrote for _Last Life. _Lina, or Catlina, is Catrina from _Last Life. _Despite me attempting to tie this to _Last Life, _I'm also making this a prequel to the series as well.

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**Dancing Dreamer of Lies: **This is a new story I came up with while watching my Thundercats DVDs. I do apologize for taking down _Last Life, _everyone, but perhaps this will quell your thirst for Thundercats fanfiction from me. I will repost _Last Life _once this story is done. Anyways, thanks for bearing with me. Thanks for reading. :)


	2. The Sword of Plun-Darr

_Disclaimer: I still don't _**Thundercats. **_All I own is whatever wasn't originally in _**Thundercats** _to begin with._

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The Final Days of Thundera

**Chapter Two:**

_The Sword of Plun-Darr_

"Never again will anyone use this sword for evil ambitions!" Jaga said loudly, his voice full of anger and fear. The Sword of Omens growled from Jaga's right hip, nearly startling him. The substitute Lord of the Thundercats allowed the fingertips of his free hand to lightly brush against the red stone in the sword. He knew the Sword could sense the evil within the belly of the Sword of Plun-Darr. "I know what I must do, Eye of Thundera." He said softly more to himself than to the Sword at his side.

Jaga gripped the evil sword's middle even more. With renewed determination, the Cat Warrior lifted up the Sword of Plun-Darr high to the sky. For a split second, the two blades at both ends flared to life, both blades flaring to life with its inner fire, spreading through it. His lip curled back into a snarl, his eyes glaring at the sword forged from evil. "You will never again, grace anyone with your evil, Sword of Plun-Darr. You will sleep deep beneath the lava in the darkest recesses of Thundera. You will never see the light of day again!" Jaga yelled. He then tossed the accursed sword into the raging lava below, watching it immediately sink beneath the red-hot waves of liquid fire.

Jaga then pulled the Sword of Omens out of its casing, hearing another soft growl from the Eye of Thundera. Lightning flashed once more as he held the blade of the Sword of Omens to the heavens above._ Please, Eye of Thundera, allow me to seal this evil once and for all._ He thought to the sword. As if to hear his plea, the Sword of Omens began to glow a faint blue as the Cat's Eye winked, the symbol of the Thundercats forming in the red stone set into the hilt.

"Ho!" Jaga yelled, causing the blue energy to shoot to the cloud filled sky above. A white line of lightning struck the ground next to him, barely startling him. A few more bolts of lightning struck again, this time hitting the river of magma in the heart of the abyss. The surface of the lava hardened, becoming nothing but solid rock on top as a series of mountains rose up from the now hardened molten lava. Soon the Sword of Plun-Darr became buried beneath the mountains and hills.

Jaga watched as the blade of his weapon shrank back to its normal size and eh resheathed the Sword of Omens once more. _I hope I do not regret doing this in the end._ He thought, glancing back at the newly formed mountains before walking away. Despite the victorious feeling of having protected his home from the likes of Ratilla and the Sword of Plun-Darr, the Jaguar Thunderian still felt as though something bad was going to happen – an uneasy feeling of doubt flitted in the dark recesses of his soul.

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**DDOL: **I know this isn't a very long chapter, but the next chapter will a bit longer and I hope you will bear with me until then. Thanks goes to **Heart of the Demons. **Thank you for the encouragement. I hope I won't fail your expectations for this story.


	3. Troubling Thoughts

_Disclaimer: Another chapter and I still don't own _**Thundercats.**

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****The Final Days of Thundera

**Chapter Three:**

_Troubling Thoughts_

The days passed and the fear of the threats of Ratilla and the Mutants of Plun-Darr were put to rest, but a dense fog of unease lingered in the air of Thundera – particularly, within the Council of Thundercats. The execution of Ratilla was quickly approaching. All the members of the Thunderian Nobles agreed to banish the Rat, despite the protests of those whose loved ones were murdered at the hands of dangerous criminals as Ratilla and the Mutants of Plun-darr. Executions were rare within the up keeping of the Code of Thundera, but Ratilla and his cohorts were not just mere thieves or bullies – they were cold-blooded killers. Many of innocent Thunderians had been killed at their hands and seeing Ratilla and the Army of Plun-Darr dead would somehow justify the means of revenge.

Night had settled down upon the planet of Thundera, wrapping its citizens within the enclosed settlement in a blanket of security and sleep. A large cat shape stood on guard at the outskirts of the city, its majestic eyes looking out for any signs of danger. Deep within the heart of Cats' Lair, a single room remained lit, its occupant still wide-awake.

He let out a soft sigh. His arms resting on the stone balcony of the window as he leaned against the railing. He could see the many hills and sloping hills of the nearby mountains melting into the warm peaceful forests surrounding the city's outskirts. And of course, who can forget the desert sea where the giant ant lions and the deadly Scorpions reside. The sea of whirlpools to the west. Even the Canyon of Youth could be seen in the distance, bordering the Valley of the Snarfs. To think that everything looked so peaceful right now. Looking at this beautiful scenery, you would think that there was never any trouble hanging over Thundera like a black rain cloud.

Jaga nearly jumped at feeling arms going around his waist. A kiss was pressed to the side of his shoulder. His heart melted at feeling his wife's comforting touch. He lifted a hand to grab hers and he pressed a kiss to its palm. "You should be in bed, Lenna." Jaga whispered softly into the human woman's skin.

A quiet giggle greeted his ears and the warrior carefully turned around, making sure to keep contact between them as he did so. A young woman with a long mess of golden blond hair and bright blue eyes stood there. A small smile formed on her lips. Lenna just shook her head again, smiling broadly now. "Don't worry about me, Jaga. I can handle the cool spring air." She murmured softly. Lenna pulled her hand away, only to bring it to rest on the side of Jaga's cheek. She could sense something going on in her husband's mind.

"How can you be so strong, Lenna, my love," Jaga whispered back to her. He brought both hands to rest on the sides of her face as he started leaning in close to her. He heard her giggle again and they shared a kiss. "When there's an inner turmoil writhing within the heart of our society."

"Because I know everything will work out in the end. Everything always has a way of working out, Jaga. You told me that." Lenna murmured into the kiss. She could feel a soft growl rumbling from the back of her husband's throat as she kissed placed a kiss at the corner of his jaw.

Jaga slipped his arms around his wife's waist, drawing her closer as he gently ran a clawed hand through her hair. "You always know just what to say, my beloved." The husband and wife were about to share another kiss when a small cry came from the shadows of the bedroom.

"Mumma. Papa." The whimpers made them look over. There sitting on their bed was a little half Thunderian girl barely three years old. Her messy blond hair was ruffled from a restless sleep and tears were shining in her eyes. Lenna pulled out of her husband's embrace and walked over to the little girl, picking her up into her arms.

"We're here, Catlina, my darling. What's wrong?" Jaga watched as his wife whispered quietly into their daughter's hair. Little Catlina clung to the front of her mother's dress, but as soon as she caught sight of Jaga, her round blue eyes went wide with fear and the cub reached her hands out for her father. She started to wiggle and writhe in her mother's arms, desperately wanting her father. He felt his heart leap in surprise at seeing his daughter struggling so furiously to be out of her mother's arms. Usually she would be clinging to his wife like there's no tomorrow. "Lina, please stop struggling or I may drop you!"

Little Lina reached out her hands for her father, leaning out of her mother's arms. Could his daughter be feeling his own unease? Is she sensing his fear? Or is it something else entirely? The Warrior walked up to his wife and child and embraced them, drawing the two of them into a hug. Lina seemed to calm down at feeling her father's touch and the little girl rested her head onto her father's shoulder as she was now in his arm.

_You have every right to feel scared, my little Catlina. _Jaga thought quietly, planting a kiss on the top of his daughter's head. Her little body was trembling a bit. He could feel her little heart pounding in her small body. If only he could take away his daughter's fears, but only Tygra could do that.

Lenna quickly placed a hand to her mouth as she started to cough from some unknown irritation building up in the back of her throat. This earned her concerned look from her husband. The human female just offered Jaga kind smile, waving his concern away with an elegant hand.

"I'm fine. No need to worry about me," But another cough wracked her body, cutting her sentence short as she entered a series of coughing and gagging. Through the blurriness of tears building up in her liquid blue eyes, she saw her husband's face becoming tight with concern. And this time, she really did feel her daughter's small body leaving her arms completely. Lenna looked up at her husband, only to see his stern gaze staring into her soft ones. "Jaga, I,"

"You must get to bed. Leave Lina to me, beloved." Jaga felt his eyebrows furrow. There was a twinge of pain that wormed its way into his heart at hearing how strict he sounded towards his wife. All of this stress is starting to get to him.

_Maybe we really shouldn't be having this second child. I nearly lost Lenna during Lina's birth… maybe I should let Tygus take over as the substitute Lord of the Thundercats… No! _This stream of conscious thought caused the Jaguar more pain than he thought possible. He mentally brushed away the thoughts and he shifted Lina to his other arm, slipping his now free arm around his wife's waist.

Lenna is strong – if not physically then spiritually. She would give her life up just to see their children alive. His wife offer kind smiles to everyone around her despite her own suffering. Ever since she was taken in by the Tiger Clan as a baby, she's suffered from some kind of childhood illness which was only guessed to have been caused by her non-Thunderian blood. She would be up all through the night, coughing and struggling to breathe, but she always knew how to make everything seem alright. Lenna not making it through this latest pregnancy is the only thing that worries him.

_Damn it all if she doesn't make it through or if the baby doesn't come to full term. _Jaga thought to himself as he stared into his wife's eyes. As if to read her husband's mind, Lenna took a large gulp of breath and she forced herself not cough before offering him yet another loving smile as she placed a hand to the side of his face.

"I'm fine, Jaga. I promise." She whispered to him, but her tone told a different story than her kind smile. She wasn't fine. She was sick. Her childhood illness was acting up again – getting her from the inside out. It forced her to miscarry twice before and yet, Lenna still managed to keep up a brave front while Jaga, himself, went frantic with worry. The last two pregnancies barely lasted two months before resulting in miscarriages. And then there was the two miscarriages before Catlina came along.

Jaga knew that having so many miscarriages was slowly breaking his wife's spirit, shattering it into a million pieces, but yet, she manages to hold on for not just his sake but for little Lina's sake. Even on the days that all of her strength was practically sapped from her, Lenna always managed to find some extra strength to get up out of bed and play with their beloved daughter. How he loved seeing his family under the willow tree, playing, singing, being happy.

Their daughter let out a sleepy yawn and buried her face into Jaga's shoulder, the three year old barely able to keep her eyes open. With one final word of encouragement, Jaga was finally able to convince her to go bed. Especially now that her coughing fit was leaving her short of breath. He didn't want her straining herself any further just to comfort his uneasiness or to quell the temper tantrums of their toddler of a daughter. Seeing her mother disappearing back into the darkness of the bedroom, Lina let out a quiet whimper and her small hands reached out for her mother.

"Lina, Catlina," Jaga began again, looking at the little Thundercub in his arms. Something was definitely bothering her if she wasthrowing this hard of a fit. The warrior just held her even closer, whispering words of comfort into her hair. "Be still, my child." He whispered, now feeling her same pain and unease. The Cat now knew what was bothering his daughter. It was the possibility of losing either of her parents. The girl was sensing the same impending doom that's been plagueing him since he tossed the accursed Sword of Plun-Darr.

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**Dancing Dreamer of Lies: **I know Jaga didn't have an actual family in the show, but this is a what if kind of deal. What if he did? What if he had something worth protecting other than Lion-O, the other Thundercats, and his home planet? And the two characters, Lina and Lenna, are from my story, _Last Life. _Anyways, thanks for reading this. And you're welcome, **Heart of the Demons. **Thank you for supporting me and this story.


	4. The Trial of Ratilla

The Final Days of Thundera

**Chapter Four:**

_The Trial of Ratilla_

The stonewalls of the Trial Room were graced by the presence of the faint halo like glows of the lit torches. Smack dab in the middle of the room was a metallic steel table set in a half circle. The symbol of the Thundercats was painted or etched onto the surface of the metal table. Six chairs, each one bearing the familiar Thundercats insignia, were set along the outer curvature of the table with one chair standing out among the rest as it sat in the middle of the chairs. This was the Council Seat, reserved for the Thunderian Nobles. Seven representatives of each of the prominent Thunderian Clans would occupy the seats whenever there was a trial. The Thundercats would have a private discussion in the privacy of the Council Chamber to decide the fate of the Criminals' fate in accordance to the Code of Thundera and their laws, but the final judgment was usually casted by the Lord of the Thundercats.

Today was another day of trials, but it was not just any trial. This trial would be deciding the fate of the Mutant War Lord, Ratilla, and a few of his cohorts. For months, Ratilla was a prisoner, impatiently waiting for the day of Reckoning – planning, dreaming of the day when he will go down trying to destroy the Thundercats or he will succeed. It was not to say that he did not have a plan of an escape. He just needed an opportune moment to put it into motion and lucky for him there was a Cat on the inside willing to help him – a Cat whose soul was as dark and corrupted as a Rat's.

He smiled at this mere thought, revealing a row of sharp, jagged teeth, his whiskers twitching as two Thunderian soldiers led him into the Trial Room. One of the soldiers glared darkly at him, suppressing the growl forming in the back of his throat.

"What are you smiling about, _Rat_? You're about to go on trial." The soldier said gruffly. The pale yellow eyes of the soldier narrowed, his pupils turning into slits. From what Ratilla saw, the Leopard Thunderian was angry and his voice was full of hatred.

"Whyso angry, _Cat_? Did I kill someone you love?" Ratilla's voice dripped with venom as he said these words and he knew from seeing the way the Thunderian's face twisted up with anger that his words had gotten his fur all ruffled. He yelped at feeling his guide yanking hard on the chain that hooked his cuffs together. The soldier was strong for someone fighting on the side of Good. Ratilla just merely hissed at the Soldier, having no other choice, but to allow himself to be led into the Trial Room.

Once inside, he could see the Council of Thunderian Nobles gathered at the half circle shaped table and in the middle, sitting next to Lord Claudus was his foe – his enemy, Jaga the Wise. His whiskers quivered as his red eyes met with the brown ones of the Jaguar. The look the two warriors traded was one of loathing and dislike. They shared a mutual hatred for each other. And of course sitting on Jaga's left was Jaga's sickly alien wife – how foreign the girl looked sitting there among the half circle group of Cats. On the other side of Claudus was a brown Saber-toothed Tiger Thunderian with tufts of his dark brown mane poking out from his warrior's helmet. The brown eyes of the Thundercat flashed with the same evil shadows that lurked within Ratilla's own soul.

Grune is quite the actor to be sitting in one of the special places of honor beside Lord Claudus, but it was an actor that Ratilla so needed right now. An ally that pretended to pledge their loyalty to the Lord of the Thundercats, to falsely serve the Code of Thundera, so, that the goody-goody Thundercats can be taken down. Grune was that double agent he needed. The Cat and Rat met a few years back when Grune, Jaga, and Claudus were hunting down a spy amongst their ranks. They chose to split up and it was Grune who found him first, but even back then, Ratilla had sensed the darkness lurking within the Warrior's heart. It was just a matter of nurturing Grune's lust for power to make the Saber Toothed Tiger his pawn in the grand scheme of things.

For years, Grune and a few other Thunderian warriors traded secrets with the Mutants of Plun-Darr while seeking the downfall of the Lions that had put Grune's great-grandfather, Torus, out of commission and stole his position as Lord of the Thundercats. All they needed to do was hand Ratilla the secrets of the Thundercats, and the Treasure of Thundera, and in return, Grune would be able to take back control of Thundera. But the problem with this little _alliance _between Grune and Ratilla was that both warriors have their own secret ambitions and these ambitions could lead to their own downfalls. Rats are not to be trusted and power hungry Cats are definitely not to be trusted.

Once Ratilla approached the pedestal where Claudus and his fellow felines could pass judgment unto the Warlord, Claudus rose out of his seat. His golden brown eyes stared hard at the Rat standing before him. This vile pudgy Mutant had costed many Thunderians their lives in this never-ending struggle between Good and Evil. In all honesty, it made the Lord of the Thundercats both angry and sad. Many a time did he try bridging the gap between Plun-Darr and Thundera in hopes of forging friendship and trust, but even Jaga and Grune had both warned him that Mutants from Plun-Darr were not to be trusted?

He saw the seemingly impassive look gracing Ratilla's face as the rat just stood there, scratching at his snout with his claws. It almost sickened him to see this pathetic creature standing before him. The Lion quickly dismissed any ill feelings of wanting to murder Ratilla and he took in a deep breath, exhaling almost instantly. The Sword of Omens remained dormant at his hip as he walked out from behind the table among his fellow Thundercats. Everyone knew that his vision wasn't what it once was. On some days it was good, but most days, he was practically blind, having to feel his way around the palace. But today was one of the better days where he could see decently.

Claudus' vision had been taken from him during a struggle with Ratilla awhile back. It was Ratilla's Sais that had blinded him. Looking directly into the eyes in the hilts just as Ratilla summoned a bright of flash of light caused it. It was supposed to temporarily blind him, but instead, the Lord was left with nearly complete loss of his vision. But his eyesight wasn't the only thing he lost that day.

On that day, the life of his beloved Leona was taken from him. It wasn't at the hands of Ratilla, but another Mutant. She had died trying to protect their son, Lion-O and just like a true Thundercat, she died following the Code of Thundera to the very end. It was thanks to his son's nursemaid, Snarf that she was able to protect him. The loss of Leona had left young Lion-O with very little memories of his mother, which saddened Claudus greatly.

"Ratilla, do you know why you are on trial?" Claudus asked, now beginning to pace back and forth with his hands behind his back. His gaze flickered to Ratilla at hearing a loud chortle. He stopped in mid-step and his body swiveled around to face the criminal.

"I seem to have forgotten, _Lord Claudus. _Why don't you _enlighten _me?" His tone was taunting. It irked Jaga to hear this rat mocking his dear friend and King in this manner. The Jaguar remained in his seat, clenching his hands against his lap under the table. No one should ever disrespect Claudus like that. Every muscle in his body tightened themselves as he sat there, silently glowering at Ratilla. He watched the calculating look in his leader's eyes, wondering what Claudus was thinking. He could only guess that Claudus was wondering the same thing about Ratilla.

Claudus took in a deep breath. His eyes narrowed as he did so. "Very well then." He stopped himself from starting up his pacing manner again, quickly wracking his brain for the words that he had rehearsed millions of times in his head while Ratilla was in prison awaiting his sentence. It was always easy to rehearse things beforehand, but often times our practiced speeches become lost to us the moment we need them most. It happens even to the greatest Lords of the Thundercats. It was happening right now to Lord Claudus.

He took in another deep breath, closing his eyes for a bit before opening them again and breathing out his nervousness. Claudus cleared his throat as if to will the words to return to him naturally, which they did. "For eons, our two planets have been at war. No one knows how this whole mess started, but no one seems to care. I tried reaching out to your people a few years ago in hopes of forging an alliance between our worlds, but you retaliated by sending spies into my peaceful kingdom. For what, the Thundercats didn't know at first, until our own spies returned with the exact answers we were seeking.

You wanted to see the destruction of Thundera and to retrieve the Treasure of Thundera from my people. My forefathers have tried to make peace between our two planets, but like you, your forefathers returned the favor with hostility. I was hoping that one day our two planets could be allies, friends, and fight for Justice, Truth, Honor, and Loyalty."

"Bahaha! Justice? Truth? Honor? Loyalty? The Code of Thundera doesn't do me any good – let alone my people!" Ratilla's laughter rang in the air. His words were still mocking in Jaga's eyes. While Claudus seemed to not let the words of this tauntingly evil rat bother him, Jaga did. Jaga took the Code of Thundera – the Thundercats' Sacred Trust – to heart. Anyone who dared to laugh at the Code of Thundera insults those who follow it. This is what Jaga always thought.

Jaga just remained in his seat, his eyes narrowing with hatred. He despised the rat laughing at his friend, and his beloved Code of Thundera. He just wished that Claudus would exile him already.

The feline nearly jumped in his seat at feeling a hand touching the inside of his arm under the table. When he looked over, he saw his beloved wife giving him a reassuring smile. Lenna was chosen to take Tygus' place among the Thundercats while Tygra took care of the sick Clan Head. Sitting in her lap was the sleeping Lina. The young toddler was fast asleep with her small clawed fingers tangled into the ribbons hanging on the front of her mother's silver dress.

It soothed his mind to know they were by his side – even if his wife refused to leave Catlina in the capable hands of Snarf for the duration of this trial. It wasn't that she didn't trust the reptilian feline. Her motherly instincts were on overload with the presence of Ratilla lingering nearby and having her daughter in her arms calms her. Of course if Tygus or Tygra were here, then Lina would've been handed over to her nursemaid, but they weren't.

Jaga returned his wife's smile and squeezed her hand back before focusing his attention back on to Ratilla and Claudus. The ruler of Thundera looked ready to cast the final judgment. He just hoped that whatever happens to Ratilla, the rat won't ever be able to return to Thundera. If he does, then Jaga or one of the other Thundercats will have no alternative, but to take the life of the Mutant.

Claudus's voice carried throughout the entire room. The words were loud enough for even the people sitting in the audience to hear their lord. "Warlord Ratilla of Plun-Darr, you are here to stand trial for your crimes. First offense: the useless bloodshed between our people. Both of our sides have suffered casualties. The lives of many fine Thunderians have been lost thanks to your treasonous ways. The second offense: Attempted thievery of the Treasure of Thundera."

Ratilla just merely rolled his eyes, his whiskers twitching silently at the end of his nose. His red eyes glittered with glee. Hearing his own exploits were making him relive those moments of taking those lives, the battles he had fought, and tasting the sweet flavor of Victory. It made his heart beat like a drum in his chest. His whiskers twitched again and he scratched at his nose once more.

_Curses! Curse this filthy Cat! _

While he 'groomed' his nose, Ratilla studied Grune's face. Grune sat there smugly in his own seat. The Saber Toothed Tiger had his arms crossed resting on the table. His brown eyes were narrowed and the smug look Ratilla saw on the face of his _ally _made him want to run at him and strangle him. It was almost a sincere sign that Grune was going back on their arrangement – on their _alliance_. He wouldn't doubt if that's what the damned Cat was going to do. If Grune so desired it, then power will be his. Grune will go to any lengths to get his much wanted power – even if it means turning on the two men he had called brothers.

At least Ratilla would get the much needed destruction of Thundera that he longed for. He managed to get a foothold in Thundera through Grune and his own Mutant spies, and it wouldn't be long before the Chaos will unfold, beginning to unravel the so called peaceful utopia that the citizens of Thundera claimed to be prospering in.

"How do you plead to these crimes against you?" Claudus' voice brought Ratilla back to attention and the rat blinked his crimson eye at the Lord of the Thundercats. His lips curled back into a sneer, revealing his jagged teeth to everyone in the room.

"I don't plead to anything. I was just doing what is in my nature and that is to dispose of all of you, _Cats_ and conquer this pitiful planet." The words of the Rat ushered the room into a loud flurry of whispers and chatter, but yet, they still did nothing to break through the calm exterior of the lion standing before him. Claudus just merely blinked in response to his statement. It almost angered Ratilla to see how calm this nearly blind old Lion was acting. It could've been an attempt at using Reverse Psychology – not that he actually cared.

"Very well then." Claudus said calmly before continuing on. The Lord of the Thundercats cleared his throat loudly and the room immediately grew silent. Time definitely seemed to be at a standstill now as everyone, including Ratilla himself waited for the final judgment, wanting to know what the Lord of Thundera will have in store for Ratilla.

"Lord Jaga!" Claudus began, addressing his close friend and substitute Lord of the Thundercats. His red gaze remained on Ratilla as he heard the light screech of his friend rising to his feet.

"Yes, my Lord Claudus?" Jaga asked from behind him. His heart was beginning to pound now. He was almost ready to help Claudus give the final judgment – to pass it onto the accursed Rat.

"What ye and the Thundercats decided for our Rat friend here?" Claudus asked, glaring at Ratilla. He was beginning to lose his nerve in front of everyone in the room – his people and his enemy. It was aggravating to say the least. Thoughts of his late wife and the many fine soldiers and friends he lost in this long waged battle against Plun-Darr were weighing him down with guilt. As the leader of the Thundercats and the King of Thundera, it was his duty to protect both his kingdom and his people.

Some Thunderians want to see Ratilla put to death. Others just wanted to see the planet of Plun-Darr be destroyed or conquered. There was a lot of civil unrest as of late and the rumors of little earthquakes only added fuel to the ongoing bonfire that was the uneasiness lingering throughout Thundera's peaceful society. He wondered how long it will be until things get to be bad.

"The Council and I have come up with a decision." Jaga said loudly for everyone to hear. He heard the soft groaning of his daughter beginning to stir in his wife's arms, but he ignored it at the moment, smiling inwardly at the mental image of her small sleeping form in his mind.

"And what is the final judgment?" Claudus asked.

Jaga took in a deep breath, his brown eyes lingering on Ratilla standing before them. "We the Council of Nobles find Ratilla guilty of all charges put against him. The sentence is exile." The Jaguar almost said the judgment with hatred, but he kept himself calm – he kept his tone formal and indifferent. He won't allow hatred to enter his heart.

"Very well then!" Claudus turned back around to face his fellow Thundercats, now prepared to add onto the judgment. "Ratilla, Mutant Warlord of the Planet, Plun-Darr, shall be exiled to the third moon of Plun-Darr. Agreed?" his gaze flickered between each of his cohorts as he said this.

Ratilla hissed loudly in protest as each of the filthy Cats agreed with their Lord – all but one that is. His red gaze rested upon Grune as did the eyes of the Saber-toothed Thunderian's peers.

"Grune, do you agree?" Jaga asked, glancing at his friend.

Grune was sitting there, pretending to mull the idea over in his head. His brown eyes narrowed a bit and his lips curled back with glee. This was an unsettling sight to see. The warrior's hand went to his electric club hanging off his belt at his hip. But he only allowed his fingers to brush lightly against the handle. "Actually, _Lord _Jaga." He began; his gaze went to Ratilla briefly before going back to his Jaguar friend. "I _disagree_."

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**Guardian of Omens Hina:** I know this is a bit of an awkward place to leave a cliff hanger, but I promise the _Trial of Ratilla _will be continued in the next chapter. Just give me some time update my other stories. My thanks goes out to **Heart of Demons **and **IrishBug74**. Thank you both for your lovely reviews, my thanks goes to those who are just reading and following the story, being my silent readers. Thank you as well.


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